Foreground/Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) include both pulmonary emboli and deep-vein thrombosis, and though both are avoidable events, PEs are believed to result in up to 10% of in-hospital mortalities. Between 350,000 and 600,000 individuals are affected annually by venous thromboembolisms in the United States, and over 100,000 individuals die yearly from pulmonary embolisms nationwide. Though VTE prophylaxis has been readily available for decades, the provided recommendations in surgical and medical patients are seldom applied. One recent global study involving approximately 70,000 patients across over 350 hospitals from 32 countries indicated that, though 50% of the hospitalized individuals examined were at risk for venous thromboembolism, only 50% of those patients received VTE prophylaxis, with reasons ranging from socio-economic issues to guideline ignorance, along with recommendation disagreements, fear of hemorrhagic complications, and resistance to alterations to previously established practices. Hospitalized individuals are at elevated risk of VTE due to their hypercoagulable state and immobility, and as a result, up to 25% of these individuals have VTE occurences. There is also significant mortality and morbidity associated with VTE development, including the risk of bleeding from therapeutic anticoagulation, prolongued hospital admission, and reduced survival and recurrent disease. EBP/Theory: The evidence-based practice model developed by Rosswurm and Larrabee has directed the creation of this project. This evidence-based model is derived from research and theoretical literature related to evidence-based practice, change theory, and research utilization. This model has guided the implementation of the clinical improvement project by assisting with the assessment of the necessity for change and concluding with the evidence-based protocol integration. This project also utilized Lewin’s 3 step change model, as this model demonstrates an appropriate methodology of processes meant to promote change, which is the ultimate goal of the project. Lewin’s 3-step change model describes three processes meant to impact forces that resist change and are known as unfreezing, moving, and refreezing. Methods: Objectives in this project included increased VTE prophylaxis knowledge and increased VTE charting. This project’s outcome measures were increased VTE prophylaxis Pretest/Posttest scores following the VTE prophylaxis educational presentation and increased VTE prophylaxis charting following the VTE risk assessment tool implementation. The evaluation was performed through a manual data review. Results showed no statistical significance in VTE prophylaxis charting post-intervention implementation compared to VTE prophylaxis knowledge and VTE prophylaxis charting prior to intervention implementation. Results/Conclusion: Due to the inexpensive nature of this project, it is recommended that similar projects like this be implemented and improved upon to bring about desired results.
